Cycling World Magazine June 2017 | Page 119

June 2017 | 119
views of Poole Harbour . Here is the perfect place to eat the view with freshly caught seafood available for all budgets and the opportunity to drop in at some awardwinning hotels and restaurants to sample more of the area ’ s delicious foodie offerings like the infamous salt �ig . traditional baker , there is so much to tempt the palette if you venture into the village .
The woolly Mangalistsa pigs may be spotted grazing on the heathlands in this area and their meat can be bought
at nearby Wareham at the appropriately named Salt Pig farm shop . The shop also stocks wild venison from some of the sika deer to be found nearby . A short detour from the route to Arne takes you to the RSPB reserve on the edge of Poole harbour .
Route Four ends up at Studland , and Knoll Beach is the perfect place to relax and picnic on its miles of golden sands before exploring its massive National Nature Reserve . This also provides the ideal surroundings to round off the routes that make u� the Eastern �orset and Purbeck Pedals and reflect on the ���� years of farming and fishing heritage that �orset offers .
The Northern Dorset and Stour Valley Pedals continue this journey around Dorset and invite cyclists to explore the county ’ s ancient �ast , with Route �ne offering a shorter 12-mile route or a longer 19-mile cycle through the Stour �alley . �efore you set off in the saddle , saunter along the ramparts of Badbury Rings , once an iron age hillfort with links to the legendary King Arthur , for the best views over Dorset to the Isle of Wight and Purbeck on a clear day .
Winding along the Stour Valley feels like a step back in time , with its distinctive red brick cottages and barns , evidence of its long farming past . Cows play a big part in this landscape from the conservation herds at Kingston Lacy which can be seen if you choose to take a detour and explore the spectacular house and gardens of the Kingston Lacy Estate . This was once part of the great Bankes family estate , which also included Corfe Castle . As well as a spectacular house and beautiful grounds , there is a café and the fantastic Pamphill Dairy Farm Shop , so it is well worth a stop . There are also an abundance of dairy herds grazing the land along the way and yielding a variety of dairy delights such as delicious Barford ice cream , made on-site using only the finest ingredients , and best enjoyed in the beautiful Ice Cream Garden , close to the River Stour at White Mill .
Route Two around Cranborne is a gentle five-mile walk , designed for walkers . What was once seen as the “ larder of the aristocracy ” is now a gold mine of local food producers . From the Sixpenny Brewery to makers of Chalke Valley Cheese , a talented “ cakesmith ” to a
There are many independent producers , farm shops and even a brewery to be found along Route Three , which centres on Child �keford and is the ideal area for finding the ultimate Ploughman ’ s Lunch as bread , cheese and beer are hard to beat after a leisurely ride along the North �orset Trailway . This is a fantastic off-road route for both walkers and cyclists and there is a chance to glimpse its railway past at the renovated Shillingstone Railway Station which recreates an age when steam was king .
Rounding off the four Northern Pedals is a ��-mile cycle ride ; Route Four takes in Thomas Hardy ’ s “ vale of little dairies ” which is still much in evidence in the Blackmore Vale and the cheese heritage of the area is still celebrated with Shaftesbury ’ s Gold Hill Cheese Run in May and the Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival in Se�tember . The �uff �or �ush� u� to Shaftesbury is worth the effort and there is a chance to get your breath back on Gold Hill , made famous by the Hovis “ Boy on a Bike ” ads , and en�oy vast views over the �ale . �ou can also find out about this Saxon town ’ s long and colourful history at the Gold Hill Museum .
Dorset ’ s famous Blue Vinny Cheese lives on , thanks to the efforts of �oodbridge �arm on the edge of the Blackmore Vale . Reviving production of this cheese after the Second World War , it now makes a number of star appearances including in Dorset Blue Vinny Soup , sausages , bread and even chocolates and ice-cream . For those who want to make a car-free trip , there are direct trains from London to Gillingham , Wareham and Dorchester and plenty of bike hire shops to be found in the county .
The new leaflets can be downloaded from� www . dorsetaonb . org . uk / food-and-drink / foodie-routes or copies are available from Tourism Information Centres , libraries , cafes , shops and a wide range of tourism providers supporting the initiative , supported by DEFRA ’ s Food is GREAT campaign .